Game drives, mountain biking, fighting fires and entertaining guests...

Hello world!

I know you are probably irritated with me for not updating my blog for almost 2 months! I know, I’m useless, but life just happens and then the day is done and I have forgotten to update my blog, or email any one. Don’t worry I won’t tell you what has happened every day since the last update, just some highlights of life as an Nkomazi guide and skivvy.

The beginning of July brought our first guests. This meant that Hannah and I were taking out guests together, usually to help out with the lodge being full, or taking company site inspections out. This also meant taking all willing guests out on the mountain bikes (just me, everyone else is to unfit, or has been sick). In the vehicle we have been exploring the reserve, looking for rhino or taking guests for amazing coffees or sundowners’ views. On bike, we approached giraffe, rhino and other animals, or chase herds of wildebeest, hartebeest and Blesbuck across the plains.

Later in July I played Ambulance-Ambulance as I drove our head chef to the Barberton Medi-clinic as she broke her foot whilst preparing lunch for the guests. This worked out quite well for Hannah as she was stuck in Nelspruit, returning from her days off. She got a lift through to Barberton and back to the lodge with us.

Whilst our wildlife manager was on leave (during which time she was forced to leave the reserve) we had to feed the cheetah for her. So with Jannie (our head ranger, and my boss) ill, Kirstin (our duty manager) and I went to feed the cats their defrosted, slightly smelly, bloody leg of Blesbuck.

When the lodge is not full we get to drive around the reserve clearing roads, marking roads for our reserve map, and just exploring. On one of these exploration trips we were taken to the other side of the reserve, to Mawelawela. Mawelawela is a beautifull part of the property which is not included in the big 5 reserve as it is filled with mountains and valleys in which our elephants would love to disappear in. Whilst driving around a frantic radio call came through for us. Our whereabouts were questioned as our help was needed! A fire was raging on our highest peaks in the reserve, Belvue. We were closer than the other fire fighters so we rushed over. On the way a green and pink flash of feathers past us. Breaks screaming we stopped in amazement at the Nerina Trogen that had come out to tease us. No time for second looks and photos, we drove on. We fought a fire for 5.5hrs which burnt down almost 4 thousand ha. It was exhausting work as the wind would pick up and chase us up hill every so often. Eventually, dehydrated, shivering from the sudden disappearance of the sun behind the mountains, and utter exhaustion we left. The fire had crossed over our boundary, jumped our fire breaks and was beyond our reach; at least Nkomazi was now safe. We headed back for the staff braai which had been postponed for us so that we could also relax around the fire with a boerewors roll in one hand and a savanna in the other.

Earlier this week we were given the day off as a thank you for a helping with a conference group which sent us running in all directions. We were allowed to go with to drop off Hugo (one of our guides) at Jock safari camp in the Kruger (one of our sister lodges) to help them for a few days. We were given a tour of the concession and had lunch on the deck. It was a great road trip which was made even better by our leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino sitting whilst there.

Life is good, some days we sit and twiddle thumbs and other days we run around, but there is always something to smile about. Whether it is the sunny weather and blue skies or giraffe waiting for their family portrait to be taken, a smile is never far from my lips out here in the bush.

My first week of lodge life...

It has been a week since I have started working at Nkomazi Game Reserve and, well, it has been quite a week! I was hoping to be able to update more regularly but the cell phone signal (and therefore my internet connection) is not always reliable, nor is our daily schedule ever really scheduled. I have been keeping a diary for our weekly reports that we have to hand in about what we have done, learnt etc. So I’ll just fill you in on some of the excitement, and duties, here at Nkomazi tented camp.

Thursday 18 June
Our first day here and we were bundled into the Land Cruiser and set off to find the last two Rhinos that had not been darted and tagged the day before. Unfortunately, after much driving, we only found those that were already tagged. The company vet took the time (while we waited for coffee and sandwiches to arrive) to show us how the dart is constructed and shot.

By the time we arrived back to camp my mom and my aunt (who had dropped us the night before had left). We were then shown the other side of lodge duties... Rubbish Run! After this I really have a new found respect for the municipal workers who collect all our rubbish at home.

Friday 19 June
Our first guests: An old guy (with a mouth that has no shame), his girlfriend, a family of four (luckily all above the age of 16), and a group of eight ladies. Well needless to say it’s an interesting group!

Saturday 20 June
My guests decided to stay in bed after what was said was a late night of drinking (Hanna and I were excused from supper, we only start dinning with the guests next month) and instead opted to go fishing after breakfast. Along the banks of the Komati River we set up their fishing rods, watched for crocodiles, helped them thread their worms onto the hooks and stood by to help with any tangles or other problems they encountered.

Seeing as we had so many guests (most of whom liked to drink) Hanna and I were set up in the Majilis (their lounge area) to serve drinks and keep an eye on the guests. This service continued throughout the rugby.

Sunday 21 June
A day of running around! The day started with some more fishing with the guests (the guys delighted in the fact that I was there to bate their hooks every time they missed a fish), followed by loading bags into the vehicles to be taken up to the gate, and driving one of the vehicles filled with just luggage to the gate. When we said farewell to our guests I received my first tip (for baiting every ones hooks for the fishing)! The day was also filled with stock taking, welcoming company guests and getting ready for a star gazing course.

We watched the night sky as we were told stories and facts about the twinkling lights overhead. We wowed, oohed and aahed at the sights we were shown through the variety of telescopes that were brought out for the night. Sights such as Saturn, its rings and its moons were just some of the beauties that were beheld in the cold night sky.

Tuesday 23 June
The cheetah in the boma need to be fed every couple of days and in order to do this a Blesbuck or Impala is shot every now and then. On this cold morning Hannah and I were taken with to go find, shoot and cut up the meat for the Cheetah. In the Afternoon we practiced approaching some rhino (in the howling wind) so that Jannie (the head ranger) could see what our knowledge was like.

Wednesday 24 June
Went on an afternoon game drive with a guest and went to go see some of the Bushman painting that they have on the reserve.

Thursday 25 June
We almost got blown out of the game viewer this morning whilst on our drive. In howling winds we went in search of trees (for the lady is a tree fanatic!) and more Bushman paintings. When we arrived back at camp neither Hannah or I could feel our toes!

We helped in the service department for the rest of the day, helping to prepare and serve high tea, pre-dinner drinks, and dinner.


Well thats just a couple of snippets from my days here so far. I’ll try update more regularly with snippets of my days.

Hope everyone is well, missing you all.
:)

6 provinces, 1 international border, and a lodge placement... What a road trip!

Hello every one!

So what, you might think, have I been doing? Well, after enjoying the life of Cape Town for 10 days, my mom and I left on a cross-country road trip. We left on Friday the 5th of June and drove through the Karoo on the way to Jhb. We stopped along the way, detouring where we felt like exploring and ended our first day in Britstown. On day two we headed to Kimberley where we played skittles in the old mining skittles hall in the mining museum. After getting completely lost trying to get out of Kimberley, we got back on the road to Jhb.

On Sunday we set off with my grandfather to Polokwane (Pietersberg) to join up with my aunt, Patsy. Two days on the farm allowed us to catch up with family and play with little Sophie and Mathew (to the rest of the family, they are the most beautiful babies).

Patsy has a share in the Limpopo-Lipadi Game Reserve in Botswana, just across the border on the Limpopo River. So our road trip took us across an international border and into the Botswana bush. At the beautiful chalets we curled up under warm blankets and in front of a roaring fire, as the rain fell and the animals hid. Eventually on our third day the sun came out and eventually the animals and birds came out to say hello.

Whilst on a drive I got a sms which, for those of you that don’t know yet, will please many who have been worried about what I’ll be doing for the next five months. I received the happy, relieving news that I have been placed at a lodge. I have been placed at Nkomazi Game Reserve close to Badplaas and Barberton with my old tent mate, Hanna (and possibly another friend, Eugene). It’s a beautiful new tented lodge, on an amazing reserve. They only opened at the beginning of the year and therefore they haven’t filled all of their staff positions. For this reason we will be doing a lot of hands-on work. We have been warned to be ready with cameras to capture special moments, like darting Rhino to tag them...

Well, as you can imagine I am very excited (and relieved!). I’m heading off on Wednesday to start the next part of my African adventure. By the time my mom drops me off we would have crossed 6 provincial and 1 international borders in two weeks.

I’ll keep on updating as things happen. Keep well.

:)

The beginning of my blogged story...

After four months of training they're sending us out to go try our hand at actually being guides at lodges. So withing the next three weeks we'll find out where we're going. So lets hope its some where nice.

The last three weeks of training has been great. Lots of walking and lots of adrenalin! Walking into Lions, seeing Rhino appear through the bushes, and listening to Elephants eat while lying in your tent is just so exhilarating!

So for those still wondering Why I want to be a guide... well the only traffic is that of Matabele Ants, Elephants or Impala; my office is the African bush and an open Landy; and every day, no matter how long or difficult is rewarded by the beauty of the sun setting over the African horizon, a Giraffe silhouetted against the blue African sky, the flutter of a butterfly. I can go on and on about the wonders of working in nature.

As my adventures continue I'll keep who ever is interested updated on my blog so you can share in my happiness and the wonder of living and working in the natural heritage of South Africa's nature reserves.